St. Paul man critical after being shot breaking up robbery attempt

A 30-year-old St. Paul man is hospitalized in critical condition after being shot Wednesday night while trying to break up a robbery along University Avenue, police said.

The shooting occurred about 10 p.m. near the intersection of University and Western avenues, said Steve Linders, a spokesman for the St. Paul Police Department.

Linders said the victim was riding in a car driven by his girlfriend and heading east on University when they saw four teenage boys who appeared to be robbing a male. The woman driving the car honked the horn hoping to interrupt the robbery, but when the teens didn't stop, her boyfriend and a friend who was also in the car got out and approached the group.

At that point, one of the teens pulled out a gun and shot the woman's boyfriend, who ran back to the car, Linders said. She then drove him to Regions Hospital.

The robbery victim and his attackers fled the scene.

No arrests have been made, Linders said.

Nicole Norfleet